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Jonathan Woodard and Michael Bennett will both have uphill battles to make the 53 but are both healthy in time to push the guys (presumably) ahead of them on the depth chart.

Neither of them are necessarily "long-shots" to stick around, but the number of talented players at strong-side end and 3 tech DT are certainly higher in 2017 than last year and they'll have to earn back-up roles convincingly.

Is that like the time it was possibly a "blessing in disguise" for Fowler to miss his entire rookie season so he could get stronger/faster/more technically refined?

Nice. Just hit us where it stings the most lol.

I say this now and I'll be correct. Fowler will NOT be a good hand in the dirt DE. Fowler must be moved around and positioned (catered to) in order to succeed.

Yeah. I think that's become pretty clear. I mean, it really was sorta only his rookie season and it's tough for rookie pass rushers...but there wasn't a lot there that screamed elite edge rushing threat in a 4-3, even as a LEO.

However...it doesn't have to be the end of the world. I mean, look at a guy like Von Miller who thrived getting a bunch of snaps as basically a SAM at times. Or even the guy drafted after Fowler, Vic...who likewise, spends a lot of time hanging out as a LBer and getting work done. Or Bruce Irvin to name another. That seems to me like the sort of role that Fowler is probably going to be the most useful as a pass rusher. Let him get a bit of a run at it, that's where he generates a ton of power and brute force.

Heck, go all out and use him like the Gators did for all it matters. It's a bit harder to accomplish those kind of substitutions to get him those reps in the NFL, but with the way our LBer corps and DLine is shaping up, it might actually make it easier to disguise out of the huddle and sneak him on there. Bring him off the edge, or drop him in a zone. Blitz him from the Mike spot and just sit back and laugh. Do all the things with him. He's got some talent...it's just gonna take a bit of creativity to use that.